Reversible watchcase.



No. 7I2,288. 4 Patented Oct. '28, |902.

y W. H. FITZ GERALD.

REVERSIBLE WATCHCASE.

(Application tiled July 3, 1002.)

(llo Indel.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.|

WALTER H. FITZ GERALD, OF BROOKLYN, NW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- IIALF TORUBE R. FOGEL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

REVERSIBLE WATCHCASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 712,288, dated October28, 1902. Application tiled .Iuly 3, 1902. Serial No. 114,242. (Nomodel.)

T @ZZ whom it may concern:

Beit known that LWALTEEHFITZ GERALD, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of New York, Brooklyn borough,in the county of Kings andState of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inReversible Watches,which improvements are fully set forth in thefollowing specification.

This invention relates to improvements in 1o mechanical structures ofthat class employed for measuring time and commonly known as watches;and it relates more particularly to Watches in which the movements arereversible and which accordingly may be readily converted from theso-called huntingcase type of watch to the so-called openface type, orvice versa.

The object of this invention is to provide a reversible watch whichshall be simple, inexzo pensive, and novel as regards construction,which shall embody features of construction whereby the watch movementshall be adjustable concentrically within the case-center for bringingthe trunnions or pivots supporting the watch-movement into a truediametric alinement with respect to said casecenter, which shall bepositive and reliable in practical service, and which shall possesscertain well-defined advantages over prior 3o analogous structures.

The invention consists in the employment of certain parts novel as toform, in the novel disposition and arrangement of those parts wherebythe watch-movement shall be ren- 3 5 dered adjustable concentricallywith respect to the case-center, in certain combinations, and in certaindetails of construction, all of which will be specifically referred tohereinafter and set forth in the appended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings,wherein like reference-numerals denote corresponding parts throughoutthe several views, and as to said drawings, Figure l is a rear face Viewof a reversible watch-body embodying my said improvements. Fig. 2 is aview similar to Fig. l, the Watch-movement being shown as havingundergone a portion of its reversing action. Fig. 3 is a detailperspective View illus- 5o trating the shifting trunnion which I makeuse of and the manner of conjoining the same with the adjacentcooperating parts. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view illustrating theconstruction of the trunnion-guide which I employ. Fig. 5 is a detailsectional view showing 5 5 the shifting trunnion aforenamed and partsimmediately cooperating therewith in the position they occupy when saidtrunnion shall have been shifted to one limit of its movementconcentrically with respect to the trans- 6o verse axis of the watch,the section being taken centrally and horizontally through the parts, asshown in Fig. l. Fig. 6 is a View similar to Fig. 5, the shiftingtrunnion aforenamed and cooperating parts being shown as having beenmoved concentrically with respect to the transverse axis of the watchout of the positions they occupy in Fig. 5.

In a general sense my invention comprises a case, a watch-movementtherein, and ele- 7o ments supporting said watch-movement, the latterbeing reversible on said elements and also movable concentrically withrespect to the transverse axis of the case and one of said supportingelements being adapted to accompany the watch-movement in its concentricaction.

Having reference tothe accompanying drawings, the watch thereillustrated comprises, primarily, a case-center 2, hinged cover 3, 8opendant 4, winding-stem 5, and movementring 6, all of ordinaryconstruction. The casecenter 2 has a continuous or substantiallycontinuous channel at its inner side.

6 represents the watch movement as a 85 whole. This watch-movement isarranged within the ring 6 in any common and approved manner. The innerend portion of the stem 5 projects through the ring 6 by way of asuitable opening formed in said ring and 9o engages the winding-arbor ofthe watch-movement, as in common practice. The movement 6 is adapted toundergo a reversing action within the case-center 2, and to this end hasa pivotal relation with respect to the said case-center. I haveaccordingly shown the movement 6/ as being arranged to turn ondiametrically opposite supporting elements or trunnions, and I haveshown the windingstem 5 as performing the function of one of loo thesetrunnions, while a trunnion 7 supports the watch-movement at the segmentthereof opposite the stem 5.

It will be understood that the employment in connection with thewatch-movement of supporting elements which under all conditions occupyeach a fixed position relative to the case-center, as in commonpractice, necessitates extreme accuracy as regards the matter ofdiametric alinement of such supporti ing elements and the adjustment ofthe Watchmovement relatively thereto, else when the parts are assembledthe watch-movement in its reversing action not rarely engages or bindson the case-center 2 and prohibits complete reversing action of thewatch-movement within said case-center. It has been the common practiceto remedy this diiculty by filing away a portion of the parts where thebinding eect aforenamed takes place. I overcome this diiiiculty byutilizing in connection with the watchmovement supporting elements, oneof which is adapted to shift concentrically with respect to thetransverse axis of the case-center, and as the watch-movement is adaptedto likewise shift concentrically within the case-center said shiftingsupporting element accordingly accompanies the watch-movement in thelatters concentric action. Thus in assembling the parts of my improvedwatch the movement-supporting elements or trunnions thereofautomatically seek and enter into such diametric alinement as insurescomplete reversing action on the part of the watch-movement at all timeswithin the case-center.

To secure the operation of the parts above mentioned, I have shown thetrunnion 7 connected with a slide 8, held loosely to the back or convexside of the guide 9 through the medium of a headed stud 7 which projectsthrough the slide 8 by way of an elongated opening 8. and rmly engagesthe guide 9, the latter to this end being provided with the opening 8'.The guide 9 is here shown in the form of a segment of a ring; but ifpreferred it :may have the form of a complete ring. This guide is forcedor otherwise inserted into the channel of the case-center and in suchmanner as to remain stationary when the parts of the Watch areassembled. Guide 9 is provided -with an elongated opening 9',corresponding with the opening 8', and the trunnion 7, carried by theslide 8, projects inwardly or toward the transverse axis of the watchthrough the guide 9 by Way of the opening 9 and supports at its innerend portion l one side of the watch-movement 6, as hereinbeforeexplained. It will accordingly be observed that where the constructionnow under consideration is employed the openings 8 9' permit the slide8, accompanied by the trunnion 7, to shift to and fro along or withrespect to the guide 9 and concentrically with respect to the transverseaxis of the watch.

To facilitate the operation of assembling the parts, particularly theadjustment of the watch-movement with respect to the case-center 2, Ihave shown the slide 8 as having an enlarged end with which the trunnion7 has a threaded engagement. Trunnion 7 may accordingly have ascrew-slot 5' at its inner end.

The operation of the assembled parts will be apparent from theforegoing, and it will be readily seen that my invention may be modifiedto some extent, particularly as regards the elements immediatelycooperating with the trunnion 7, and whereby a concentric shiftingaction is secured for said trunnion without material departure from thespirit and principle of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. A watch comprising a case-center, and a Watch-movement, the latterbeing reversible and held within the case-center by supporting elementsadjustable one independently of the other and concentrically to thetransverse axis of the watch.

2. A watch comprising a case-center, and a Watch-movement, the lattertrunnioned for reversing action withinthe case-center, and` one of thetrunnions supporting said watchmovement being adjustable independentlyof the other and concentrically with respect to the transverse axis ofthe watch.

3. A watch comprisinga case-center anda Watch-movement, the latter beingreversible within the case-center; and trunnion-like elements supportingsaid movement, the said elements being adjustable one independently ofthe other for a self-alining action diametrically with respect to thecase-center.

4. A watch comprising a channeled casecenter; a movement trunnioned forreversing action within the case-center; a slide carrying one of thetrunnions supporting said movement and a guide for said slide, the saidguide being fixed in the channel of the case-center, and saidtrunnion-carrying slide being movable to and fro along the guide, andconcentrically with respect to the transverse axis of the watch.

WALTER H. FITZ GERALD.

Witnesses:

MAX B. A. DORING, P. BOLEMAN.

IOO

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